Grim Reaper
(Eric Williams) (As a zombie)
Context
These old notes about this old Marvel villain are intended to be read after the other Grim Reaper character profile.
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Background
- Real Name: Eric Williams.
- Marital Status: Single.
- Known Relatives: Sanford Williams (father, deceased), Martha Williams (mother), Simon Williams (brother).
- Group Affiliation: Ally of Count Nefaria and leader of the Steelskulls; Former Leader of Las Vegas Maggia faction. Former Leader of the first Lethal Legion, former leader of Hydra fragment in New York, former ally of original Space Phantom, Ultron, Nekra, Black Talon 2, and Goliath. Former member of the third Legion of the Unliving. Former ally of Lloigoroth of The Nameless Ones, Former ally of Blackheart, Former leader of the fourth Legion of the Unliving.
- Base Of Operations: Mobile.
- Height: 6’4” Weight: 225 lbs.
- Eyes: Blue Hair: Gray (originally blond).
Powers and Abilities
Williams possesses no superhuman powers, but does wield a scythe in place of his right hand. Presumably, his current scythe has the same abilities as his previous cybernetic scythe that was once permanently bonded to his right hand.
This scythe was made of an extremely durable material. It contains several advanced weaponry, including:
- A force blaster.
- A cerebral stunner (inducing paralysis).
- A blade-spinner (which allows the scythe to act as a buzz saw, a shield against thrown objects or bullets, or as a rotor providing very limited flight and parachuting capabilities).
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Undeath
During his time as a zombie, Williams was nearly invulnerable to the effects of heat, cold, radiation, toxins, and disease. He possessed some degree of invulnerability, and could not be killed.
Later, Williams was given a vampire-like ability to drain the life force of his victims in order to sustain his own zombie nature, leaving his victims mummified. This power was proven ineffective to his brother Wonder Man, presumably due to their blood relationship.
Sorcery
For a short time, the Grim Reaper was granted even greater supernatural powers by Lloigoroth of the Nameless Ones. He used these powers to:
- Teleport over great distances.
- Open vortexes between dimensions .
- Re-arrange matter.
- Create holographic projections.
- Physically grow to enormous size.
- Create creatures with rudimentary intelligence from extradimensional energy.
- Enslave the souls of his victims to do his bidding.
When he was allied with Blackheart, The Grim Reaper was given the ability to cause others to perceive life-like illusions. Such as making Wonder Man believe he had lost his hand and then had it replaced by a corpse’s hand. These illusions were extremely convincing.
History
See Human Version writeup.
Description
See illustration.
Quotes
“When he died, he came back, came back as a hero and served as an Avenger. Not me ! When I died I came back as a monster ! And as my sins weighed me down, further and further, and further, turning me into a twisted mockery — Simon died again and came back — and came back and came back, always forgiven, always getting another chance. How I hated him for that !”
“I knew then that I could bring the hell I had suffered all my life to Earth, and I did !”
DC Universe History
See Human Version writeup.
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Grim Reaper (Zombie form)
| Dex: 06 | Str: 06 | Bod: 07 |
| Int: 05 | Wil: 05 | Min: 05 |
| Inf: 05 | Aur: 04 | Spi: 05 |
| Init: 016 | HP: 070 |
Powers:
Skin Armor: 01, Cold Immunity: 06, Flame Immunity: 03, Invulnerability: 10, Mind Over Matter: 06, Systemic Antidote: 12, Vampirism: 10
Powers (while allied with Lloigoroth of the Nameless Ones only):
Sorcery: 12
Bonuses and Limitations:
Sorcery does not do bashing damage to Spirit.
Powers (while allied with Blackheart only):
Mental Illusion (ML): 12
Bonuses and Limitations:
- Vampirism is used through attacking with the scythe and does not work on Wonder Man (Simon Williams).
- Energy Animation works like Animate Shadows, but does not create shadow creatures, but instead uses extradimensional mystic energy.
Skills:
Martial Artist (EV): 06, Vehicles (Air): 05, Weaponry: 07, Weaponry (battle scythe): 09
Advantages:
Area Knowledge (Las Vegas).
Connections:
Lloigoroth (Low), Blackheart (Low), Maggia (Low).
Drawbacks:
SPR (Missing right hand), SIH of Wonder Man and The Vision), SPI, Fatal Vulnerability (loses a point of BODY every 3 hours past the first 12 if he doesn’t kill and absorb the life force of a human being).
Note:
SIH is no longer valid after the Blackheart alliance ends.
Equipment:
- COSTUME [BODY 05, Skin Armor: 02].
- BATTLE SCYTHE [BODY 10, EV 04 (05 w/STR, 07 w/Martial Artist), Claws: 07, Energy Blast: 09, Force Shield: 04, Gliding: 00, Knockout Gas: 09, 9 AP C Omni-Gadget (x2). Limitations:
- Claws, Force Shield, and Gliding all represent uses of the “blade spinner” and have Minor Burnout ; none of the scythe’s other powers may be used while it is activated.
- Claws represents the buzzsaw effect of using the spinning blade in melee combat.
- Force Shield is only vs. projectile or melee attacks and will not stop energy/beam attacks.
- Gliding represents the use of the blade as a makeshift helicopter rotor, allowing the user to “parachute” safely from almost any height.
Prior to the loss of his hand, this was a weapon with a “cup” into which The Grim Reaper could insert his hand and control the weapon. After the loss of his hand, the Reaper switched to a modified version which served in place of his hand – there are no differences in stats.
Source of Character: The Avengers (Marvel Comics).
Helper(s): Jay Myers, Sébastien Andrivet, Jackson, John Colagioia, Roy Cowan, Nick Yankovec, Peter Piispanen, Frank Murdock, Unofficial Handbook of the Marvel Universe for partial history and “Powers and Abilities” section, avengersassemble.org , The Gamers Handbook of the Marvel Universe.